A freshman boy gets dropped off at school in front of the main office before first period. He urges his dad to drive away fast so he is not seen with him. His dad drives away into a parking spot in the staff lot and walks right into school behind his son.

While this may seem like every high schooler’s worst nightmare, this is just the morning routine for freshman Elijah Savett, son of AP Literature teacher Jeffrey Savett. Elijah is one of the handful of students whose parents also happen to work at CHS.

“Going to high school knowing that my dad teaches there as well was something I was looking forward to because I always hear about what he does at dinner,” Elijah Savett said. “Now I get to be in the same place. Plus, it is cool knowing his room is right down the hall.”

Currently, Jeffrey Savett, AP Economics teacher Monica Malanoski, Calculus teacher Marianna Lancaster and Multivariable Calculus teacher Curtis Hart-Southworth are a few of the teachers who have family ties with the CHS student body. There are questions as to what differences there are between the daily routine of the kids whose parents work at CHS and the ones that do not.

“I leave for school much earlier than other kids because I have to go with my dad,” Elijah Savett said.
Most high schoolers will dread any chance their parents get to embarrass them in front of their friends.

Jeffrey Savett, however, does not see this an issue.

“Elijah and I have a deep relationship,” Savett said. “I do not think I can embarrass him. Actually, it is more complex than that. I think he is very proud of me and I am very proud of him. I would never do something to make him feel uncomfortable, and he respects me and my classroom space enough to not do so either.”

Hart-Southworth has a different policy for drawing boundaries between him and his two sons, Alonzo and Stevie.

“I embarrass Alonzo and Stevie all the time,” Hart-Southworth said. “When Alonzo is with friends in the Bulldog Lobby before school, I will often walk up and put my arm around him. Both boys tell me that when I dab in class, it is cringey, but I think they love it when their friends tell them I do goofy things. It is important for them to see me build relationships with their friends.”

Teachers like Hart-Southworth are also able to be more involved in their children’s social life and interact with their friends more than most parents. But having a parent always by the Bulldog Lobby can be a convenience for students. Junior Wysh Anstine sees this as a benefit and takes full advantage.

“She can bring me things I forget at home, and she can bring me food,” Anstine said.

Teachers can also find that there are advantages to having Take-Your-Child-to-Work Day every day. For starters, CHS is a great school academically. But, most importantly, CHS fosters a sense of community that any parent would love to put their child through.

“They say it takes a village to raise teenagers, and it’s amazing to see how much other adults in the building watch out for my boys,” Curtis Hart-Southworth said. “I don’t think other parents realize how much care our staff shows to every CHS student. It’s a real gift to have an insider view.”

Dropping your kid off at high school for the first time is a moment that every parent dreads. There is a very small handful of parents that do not have to deal with this sadness, and those are the teachers that get to bring their kids with them to work.

“Obviously, we all wear different masks when we’re in different places, interacting with different people,” Jeffrey Savett said. “For most people, our domestic space is where we feel most at ease. So I like seeing Elijah during the day because he reminds me of that home space and I immediately feel happier and calmer.”

Lancaster sees daily interactions with her daughter’s peers as a positive.

“I’m more aware of what is going on in her life than most parents,” Lancaster said. “I know all the positive things but also the stress everyone goes through.”

Being a high school freshman can be an intimidating experience, but having the guidance of an adult can make the transition into high school much easier.

“One benefit of having my dad at the school is knowing the school better,” Elijah Savett said. “It is also easier to meet new people.”